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1 dead, 2 others shot in prelude to West Indian Day parade in Brooklyn – Newsday

Thousands of men and women costumed in Caribbean feathers, flowers and colors paraded through Brooklyn’s Crown Heights and Prospect Heights neighborhoods Monday to celebrate West Indies traditions in one of the largest annual festivals in the city.More than 1 million people were expected to march in the parade and line the streets for the traditional Labor Day event. Violence marred the hours leading up to the parade, with several people shot and at least one death. Police were on heightened alerts, and Mayor Bill de Blasio said police would keep the community safe.Loudspeakers blared from homes and front stoops along the service road parallel to parade route along Eastern Parkway. Dance parties also formed amid the celebratory atmosphere. Vendors peddled West Indian fare like oxtail, coucou, salt fish and jerk chicken.Hosea Nelson, 53, of Crown Heights and originally from Jamaica, was selling flags for a dollar and a dice and board game called Crown and Anchor.He said he’s been coming to parade since arriving in the United States in 1992. via – Newsday